Well swab



Feb.y2, 1943. G. A. RAYNER v" WELL swf-1B Filed M'y 19, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 iii v'eoe a@ www" Feb- 2, 1943 f G. A. RAYNER WELL swAB Filed May 19, 1941 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 2, 1943 illi' STATES garant orgies WELL SWAB 'George A. Rayner, Smithville, Tex. .Lipplcation May .19, 1941, Serial No. 392193 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a well swab especially adapted for removing foreign matter from the walls of a well or the easement thereof, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which may be successfully employed on a line for raising and lowering thereof in the Well and which will be self-releasing if stuck in the well from any cause by simply placing slack in the line.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the above stated character which will be durable and inexpensive to manufacture and will be free of the disadvantages of the conventional type of Well swab which when hung in a well sometimes destroys the well for further use or requires a large expenditure of time and labor in the removal thereof from the well, necessitating the pulling of the well casement in order that the swab be dislodged and removed.

With these and other objects in View as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating a well swab constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the same being lowered in a casement of a well.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the swab in an operative position or on its upward movement in the well Casement and in the act of removing foreign matter from the walls of the casement.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the swab in a self-releasing position.

Figure a is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a cylinder type body of the swab, the latter being designated generally by the character The opposite ends of the body 5 are externally screw threaded to receive caps 'I of the spidered type. The caps slidably support a rod .3 which extends entirely through the body 5 and has each end screw threaded. One end of the rod is detachably connected to a cable or line attaching rod 9 by a coupling Il] which has threaded connection with the rods 8 and 9. The

other end-of `therod' 8Y has mo-unted thereon a disc type valve element I I removably held on said rod by a nut I2 threaded on the latter-named end of the rod 8. The valve element is coactive with one of the caps 'I in closing the lower end of the body 5 when the swab 6 is suspended by a cable or line I3 for operation in a well or the Casement thereof, indicated by the character I4.

The caps 'I slidably retain the rod 3 centered within the body 5 and said rod within the body 5 and spaced a limited distance from the uppermost cap 'I is equipped with a spring seat I5. One end of an expansion spring I6 engages the seat I5 while the other end engages the uppermost cap. The action of the spring normally is to move the valve element II away from the lower cap l. However, when the device is suspended on the cable I3 and due to its weight compresses the spring I5 bringing the valve element II into seated engagement with the lowermost cap 'I for closing the body 5.

spaced cupped seats II are formed on the eX- terior of the body 5 for supporting thereon cupshaped swab elements I8, preferably constructed of yieldable reinforced material, such as rubber or the like. The swab elements t Within the cupped seats I'I and flare outwardly so as to contact the walls of the easement when the swab is located therein.

The body 5 is provided with ports I5 placing the interior of the swab elements in communication with the interior of the body 5 so that fluid within the body 5 may enter the swab elements and iiex the latter outwardly to snugly fit the walls of the easement.

In operation, the swab 6 is lowered into the well with the swab elements contacting the walls of the Casement and when the swab reaches the ii-uid of the well, slack is allowed to occur in the line I3 permitting the spring to unseat the valve element I I whence the fluid of the well may enter the body 5 and pass into the swab elements. The weight of the fluid within the swab elements tends to urge the latter into tight Contact with the walls of the easement and by drawing upwardly on the swab by the line I3, the swab elements frictionally rubbing against the walls of a easement remove foreign matter therefrom.

During the upward movement of the swab, the weight thereof and the weight of the fluid on the swab elements being on the line overcomes the action of the spring and the valve element is seated to prevent the escape of fluid from the device.

Should the swab, during its upward movement in the easement of the well become stuck or hung, slack is permitted to occur in the line I 3 and the spring acts to unseat the valve element Il and allow the iluid to flow from the body 5 and consequently from the swab elements, relieving the latter of the Weight of the fluid thereon so that on another upward pull on the line the swab will become released from its stuck position.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a well swab, an elongated hollow body, spider type caps applied to the ends of said body and one of said caps providing a valve seat, a rod slidable through the caps and body and supported axially of the latter by the caps and adapted to have one end thereof connected to an operating line for vertical movement in a well, a valve element secured to the other end of the rod to cooperate with the seat of one of the caps in opening and closing the lower end of the body, a spring acting lon the rod within the body and bearing against one of the caps to unseat the valve element and the latter being seated by the load of the body on the operating line, said body having groups of openings arranged annularly thereof, cup-shaped seats mounted on the body below said openings, and flexible inverted substantially conical shaped cups mounted in the seats with the major portions thereof unattached and overlying the openings to receive uid from the body to force said unattached portions of the cups against walls of the well for removing foreign matter therefrom during reciprocation of the body by the line.

GEORGE A. RAYNER. 

